Molded pulp article



April 7, 1953 w. J. SCHWERTFEGER 2,634,039

MOLDED PULP ARTICLE Filed June 10, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 IN VEN TOR.

April 1953 w. J. SCHWERTFEGER 2,634,039

MOLDED PULP ARTICLE Filed June 10, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2,

I Ma/JEINVENZZM' Patented Apr. 7, 1953 I ee MOLDED PULP ARTICLE Walter J. Schwertfeger, Englewood, N. J., assignor to Keyes Fibre Company, Waterville, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application June 10, 1947, SerialNo. 753,713

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to molded pulp contain ers adapted to protect fragile articles, particularly eggs, both in the shipping thereof, particularly in standard egg cases, and in the retail packaging of such articles. 7

In the shipping or storage of eggs it has been customary to pack them in crates, each crate holding 30 dozen eggs. The case has a vertical division ,wall and hence has two compartments, each containing 15 dozen eggs, arranged in tiers or layers, 3 dozen in each layer of each compartment. It has heretofore been customary to support each layer by means of a sheet known as an egg fiat, and to separate the 36 eggs in each layer by inter-fitted strips of paper board commercially known as fillers.

With this method of packing, it has been customary for the retailer to unpack the eggs from a crate and re-pack them in retail cartons, each carton customarily holding one dozen eggs. These retail cartons do not have the strength and crushing resistance to withstand normal handling in shipment, and involve an added cost to the retailer.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a molded pulp carrier or carton for eggs and other-fragile articles, which will be simple in construction, which is adapted as the retail carton itself, and which may be assembled in multiple within the standard crate to hold the usual number of 30 dozen eggs, when eggs are held by the cartons. The carton will give superior protection to the eggs in shipment, and at the same'time will serve as the retail container, so that the retailer is saved the cost of the usual retail container, as well as the labor of re-packing.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the invention with the left hand cover member raised and folded, ready for final placement, the right hand cover member occupying its normal position, preliminary to the insertion of eggs or other fragile articles;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the container closed;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing one end of the container;

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the closed container.

Referring to the drawings, it will be contemplated that the complete structure will be unitary and made of paper pulp in accordance with well known practice. It consists of a body member which is formed, in the present embodiment, with two rows of cups, six in number'as to each longi-' tudinal row, the cups being indicated at 1. Each pair of opposed transversely extending cups is separated by a hollow division wall 2 and the cups of each longitudinally extending row are sepai rated by transverse hollow walls 4.

Extending longitudinally are five posts 5, the

latter rising above the division walls 2 and 4, and

' each post merges into four of said division walls It also will be noted that the body member is provided with an outwardly projected rim comprising two sections, rim section 6 being at a greater height than rim section 1, so that the two rim sections are joined at the ends of the container by a vertical shoulder indicated at 61:.

Preferably formed integrally with the body member are two cover members 8 of identical construction. Each cover member is formed with side wall 83: curved at its ends, and also is formed with a series of frusto-conical members 822x, one for each of the pockets of a row thereof in the body member, the inner wall of each member Bra: being cupped as indicated more particularly in Figure 5 of the drawings. Each cover member is formed with a fold line at 9 so that the lip extension I 0 of each cover member may be folded approximately as shown at the left hand portion of Figure 1.

The wall 8a: of each cover member is joined to the adjacent rim section of the body member through a rim formation of has a fold line at II.

It is preferred that at the base of each cup I, the pulp board be raised to form a cushion member as indicated at la: of Figure 5. It further will be noted that the lip extension IU of each cover member is formed with spaced projections which are adapted to lie between the posts and to rest on the longitudinal division walls 2, the outermost lip extensions bridging the spaces between the outermost posts and the vertical wall 6x of the body member.

The container is well adapted for the packing of eggs or other fragile articles therein by autocessively under a loader, which will drop one dozen eggs or other fragile articles simultaneously into the pockets of the body member. By a succeeding operation the lips ill of the covers will said wall 8a: which be folded upwardly approximately 90 and will be swung inwardly until the areas of the lips l0, between the lipextensions will'enter the slots of I the posts, so" that thecover members will be frictionally held firmly in closed position. Usually a label applied to the closed cover memberswill seal the container, although this is-not essential.

I have shown in dotted'lin'es; Figure. 4,1511%? manner in which the stepped'rim-sections ofthe; body member enable adjacent containers to be so packed in a standard crate thaltrthe latter may hold its customary 30 dozen eggs, notwithstanding the fact that the eggs are packed in individ ual cartons or containers, each holding one dozen eggs, and that thecontainersare-ofsuch. nature; as to protect theeggs toan extentgreater. than the customary; flats and fillers. It. willbe-nseen. by reference to said figure that the high rim 5 of the container'shown' in full lines may lie: over the low rim of an adjacent container, which. is shown in dotted linesat the-left. By dotted lines at E2 in Figure:5 I have shown. an egg: in. position within the closed'container;

It will be understoodrthat various? modifications may be-made intheform andarrangement of the elements illustratedsin the-drawingsiwithout departing from the spiritlof .therinventiom Having thus described.- myinvention, what I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent; is:as followsz' 1. A container iorfragilezarticles comprising-a bodymember formed with? a: plurality 'ofrrmizs'v 01''. cups separated by" division. walls extending; longitudinally and transversely of .the.body'member,i a row of spaced posts extending longitudinally of. thebody member'between longitudinal. rows of." said cups and?said"postsribeingiformed with; ree cesses, opposed covermembers'hinged to'ttheisides of the body member; andaeach: covercmember having a normal top wall formediwith';aafoldable extension having "spaced projections: adapted .to" enter the recesses of'theiposts when-.the:cover members areclosed to bring their extensionsinto: mutual abutment, the bodymember havingarim: consisting of two 1 sections". meeting" substantially. at the transverseicenter; of the. container," and" at? the ends thereof I one. rim; section. being lower. than the other. rim section, the-hinge connection: of tone cover 'memberbeing on the higherriinsec tion and that of the second covertrmember'being on the .lower rim'sectiomasr and forfthe=purpose described.

2.. A containerion fragilei azcticles:comprisingfa; body member formed with a plurality; ofzrows of: cups; arowof; spaced postseextending? longitudinally off the: body: member; said'postsbeing formed with recesses,: and opposedzcovenmembers: integralwith :thebody member and hinged .to its". opposite sides, thebody member: being; formed: with reinforcingrimsectionszfor: abutment with corresponding rim sections oi the coyermembers; one rim section of the' body member. being disa-v posed lower than: a companiomrimisection, and; the rim section of one cover: being: corresponds ingly. lower than th ataof the second covermember, each cover (member. havingsawall' with areas adaptedto enterther recesseszofitheiposts, and? the two .walls lying in mutual .abutment'whenithez covermembers are in closed-position;

3; A containerfornfragi'le articlesrcomprising' a body member formedwitlrza' plurality: ofirows: of cups. separated. by division". walls: extending longitudinally and'transversely ofi-the rbody mem-- her; a. row of? spaced? posts. extending: longie' tudinally of the body member between longitudinal rows of cups, opposed cover members hinged to the.- sides offthe body; member, and each cover member having'a'normal top wall formed with a foldable extension having spaced projections adapted to enter the spaces between thepostswhen the cover members are closed to bring their extensions into mutual abutment, thebody member having a rim consisting of two sections. meeting substantially at the transverse center'of' the' container, and at the ends thereof, one rim section being lower than the other rim section, the hinge connection of one cover member: being on the higher rim section and that of the second cover member being on the lowerv rim. section.

4.. Acontainer. for. fragile articles comprising a body member formedwithaiplurality of rows of cups, a row of spaced posts extending longitudinally of the body member, and opposed cover members-integrak with the body member and hinged to. its opposite sides, thev bodymember being, formed with. reinforcing. rim sections, for abutment .with-correspondingrim. sections of the cover members, one. rim. section of the body member. being. disposedlower than a companion rimsection, andithe.rim.section of one cover being; correspondingly; lower thanthat of the second cover member,v each. cover. member having awalllwith. ears-adapted to 7, enter the spaces between the posts, and thetwowalls lying in mutual. abutment when... the cover. members are in closed position.

5, A container. for. fragile: articles: comprising abody memberformed with aplurality of rows of cups. separated; by; division. walls extending longitudinally andtransverselyof the body member, and opposedcover members hinged to the sides of the body member, and each cover mem- :ber having. a. normal top wall formed with a foldable extension, the body member having a rim consisting ottwo-sections meeting substantially at thetransverse-r center of the container, andat the ends. thereof, one rim section being lower than the. other v rim section, the hinge connectionof one cover member being on the higher. rim .section and. that of the second cover member beinggonthe :lowerv. rim section.

6. A..carton for. fragile-articles including two elongated sections, said. sections comprising a tray shaped body having: aflanged encircling edge, the longitudinal edge of one section being connected hingedly; tothe. longitudinal edge of the othersection; theendportions of said flanged edge being. offset intermediate said longitudinal edges. so. that the. flanged longitudinal edge on. one. side. of. saidsection isaboye: the level ofthe. flanged. longitudinaledge on. the other side. of said section,.. said offset. portions being in contacting. relation. whensaid sections are folded .into superimposedll relation.

WALTER J. SCHWERTFEGER.

REFERENCES- CITED.

The following, references are of record in the file of th'ispatentr UN ITED. STATES-PATENTS Number Name Date 1,212,364 Will.- Jan; 13, 191.7 2,330,345: Elliott". Sept: 23, 1943' $423,756; Chaplin. July 8, 194 2, 66,579 COX Apr. 5, 1949 

